Hydraulic elevator



(No Model.) T' BROWN J HYDRAULIC ELEVATDR.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS E. BROWN, JR., OE NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN-MENTS, TO THE NATIONAL COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

HYDRAULIC ELEVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 487,709, dated December13, 1892.

Application filed December 19, 1889. Serial No. 334,339. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. BROWN, .I r., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at New York, in the county' and State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in HydraulicElevators, of which the following is a specification.

The increase in the height of various architectural structures in whichelevating appa- :o ratus must be employed has rendered ineiiicient forthe higher buildings many constructions of elevating apparatus andappliances therefor which are practically effective in buildings ofordinary heights. Thus the int 5 creased distance which the elevator-carmust travel renders itnccessary to extend the length of the cylinder;but this cannot in ordinary constructions be done beyond a limitedextent, inasmuch as it is not practicable to use zo piston rods orconnections longer than metallic bars can be rolled in continuouspieces, which length is insufficient to secure the extent or amountnecessary in very high structures. In order to secure the desired travelz 5 of the cage and avoid the necessity of using long continuous rodspassing through stuffing-boxes for connecting the piston to the viexiblesuspensories, I construct the apparatus as fully set forth hereinafter,land as 3o illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

Which- Figure l represents in elevation a tower of unusual height with-an elevating apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlargedview of part of the apparatus.

The cylinder A is of more than ordinary length, and instead of beingclosed at both ends has a lower cap l and is open at the upper end andis there connected by a contract- 4o ing trunk 2 with a tubularconductor 3, which extends to and receives the motor-fluid from a tank4. The tank 4 is situated at such a height as may be necessary to securea fluid column of the weight sufcient to lift the cage,

and as this height above the cylinder A is greater than the length ofany continuous piston-rod that could be practicably employed I extendthe connection 6 between the piston and the cage or flexiblesuspensories 5 in the 5o form of cables, or preferably, as shown, of aseries of jointed links. As said connection 6 is thus carried throughthe conducting-tube 3 and through and above the body of the liquid inthe tank, there is no necessity for using any packing-box, and theconnection between the piston 7 andthe traveling pulley or pulleys forthe flexible suspensories can be made in any suitable manner and withoutthe use of continuous rods of uniform diameter, as would be necessary ifthe cylinder 6o were closed at the top, as usual.

To reduce the weight and amount of fluid stored in the apparatus, Ireduce the diameter of the conductor 3; but, if desired, the same may becontinued its whole length of the same diameter as the cylinder.

The connections between the piston connection 6 and the iexiblesuspensories may be of any suitable character-as, for instance, pulleys8, supported by fixed bearings, and 7o pulleys 9, carried by the head l0at the termination of the connection 6, round which pulleys thesuspensories 5 pass to multiply the movement between the head l0 and thecage C, as usual.

The motor-power is applied to lift the cage by permitting the fluid toflow from below the piston to the discharge-pipe l2 by properlyadjusting the valve device 13 by any suitable connections from the cage.Vhen the 8o cage is to descend, the valve is adjusted to permit thefluid to pass through a circulating-pipe 14:A and valve-casing and pipel5 to the bottom of the cylinder. It will be seen that it is practicableto lift the piston with the upper end of the cylinder open and with theheavy column between the piston and the tank by thus circulating thefluid, While it would not be practicable to elevate the piston with thecylinder in constant communication 9o with the tank and under suchpressure in any other manner.

Without limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement ofparts shown, I claim 95 1. An elevating apparatus provided with acylinder and piston, a conducting-tube extending from the top of thecylinder above the limit of travel of the piston to an elevatedreservoir containing the motor-fluid, and a cage connected with thepiston by connections extending through the said tube and IOO reservoir,and a valve device controlling the How of said motor-fluid to and fromthe opposite sides of the piston, substantially as set forth.

2. In an elevating apparatus provided with a cylinder, piston, cage, andelevated reservoir containing the motor-Huid and with a condueting-tubebetween the top of the cylinder from a point above the limit ot travelot the piston and reservoir, the cage attached to the piston byconnections extending through the tube, and circulating-tubes connectingthe lower end of the cylinder and with the upper end below theeondueting-tube, and a valve device for permitting the fluid tocirculate from the open space above the piston to the closed spacebelow, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in an elevating apparatus, of a cylinder', piston,elevated tank containing lnotor-tluid comm unieating with the open upperend of the cylinder above the limit of travel of the piston through atubular connecting-pipe, and a cage, fiexible suspensories, connectionsextending from the piston through said pipe, and traveling sheavesarranged above the tank and carrying the suspensories, substantially asset forth.

LL. The combination, in an elevator apparatus, of a cylinder, piston,elevated tank containing` motor-fluid Communicating with the open upperend of the cylinder above the limit of travel of the piston through atubular eonneetingpipe, and connections extending from the pistonthrough said pipe to the trav eling sheaves arranged above the tank andcarrying the [lexible suspensories and cage, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this` specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS E. BROWN, JR.

Witnesses:

ISAAC. B. POTTER, KENNERLEY BRYAN.

